Epilepsy knowledge, attitudes, and practices among primary healthcare providers in an Indian district

Introduction: Scaling up the involvement of primary care providers in epilepsy management in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) requires an understanding of their epilepsy knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Aim: The aim of the study was to document levels of knowledge about, attitudes towards, and practices regarding epilepsy among different ranks of primary healthcare providers in a North-Western Indian district. Methods: The survey included government medical officers (MOs), auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), and accredited social health activists (ASHAs). They were administered a specially designed KAP questionnaire. Responses were analyzed according to rank. Results: The survey showed that nearly 10% of ANMs and almost a fifth of ASHAs had never heard about epilepsy. A quarter of MOs and over two-thirds of ANMs and ASHAs had never provided care to someone with epilepsy. There were significant differences in the levels of knowledge between the three groups of workers. Conclusions: Closing the huge gaps in KAP by educating primary care and community health workers about epilepsy should be a priority before engaging them in the epilepsy care delivery. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.